The Protecter: Tigress Series
by Lilsis3210
Summary: After having her heart broken by them both, she moved on. Now that she is back, so are they. And now she must endure watching both of them love someone else. Someone she has sworn to protect; no matter the cost. LOOKING FOR A BETA!
1. Epilogue

_**Chapter 1: Epilogue- LOOKING FOR A BETA. CONTACT ME! Please!**_

I sighed as I watched the trees blur by me as I speed accross the highway. I was currently on my way to Mystic Falls, Virgina; home of Grayson Gilbert's children. The subjects of my mission.

"Protect his oldest child." I was told seriously.

From what I have heard, there were two Gilbert children. One girl at seventeen, Elena, and a younger boy, Jeremy. I would be looking after the eldest, Elena.

I hadn't been given the specifics on why on Earth this girl would need such intense protection from one of the Protecters circle, but it's not in my place to question the Council.

I just have to do their dirty work.

Graced with the gift of invisibility and the power of Tigress shapshifting, I am the hyprid of our race. Normally, a child has the ability to do one or the other, the girl invisibility, the boy the capability to transform into a huge, ferocious orange tiger on whim. My mother and father were two of the seven original council members and some of the greatest warriors of our species. I, apparently, had been the fist child of our race.

But how does that make any sense!

_"But, Mother, how did you get here?" I questioned, frustrated._

_"Our own special way, sweetie." She'd tell me sweetly._

_And with all of my of my seven year old rage, __I glared sharply at her since I was only more confused._

For over one thousand years, that was one of the many questions that have plagued me.

This is how what I brought with me on my trip to Virginia. A suitcase of clothing, toiletries, pictures I have collected over the many years, and a plethora of unanswered questions.

_Enough, Rosalie_. I turned the radio on to ease my growing thoughts. A male's pleasant voice streamed into my car. I silently commented as the lyrics flew past.

_I miss the sound of your voice_

I do miss someone's voice... or two people's.

_And I miss the rush of your skin_  
_And I miss the still of the silence_  
_As you breathe out and I breathe in_

How was this song so perfectly describing this?

_If I could walk on water_  
_If I could tell you what's next_  
_I'd make you believe_  
_I'd make you forget_

I would.

_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_  
_Faith and desire and the swing of your hips_  
_Just pull me down hard_  
_And drown me in love_  
_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_  
_Faith and desire and the swing of your hips_  
_Just pull me down hard_  
_And drown me in love_

I wish!

_I miss the sound of your voice_  
_Loudest thing in my head_  
_And I ache to remember_  
_All the violent, sweet_  
_Perfect words that you said_

Oh _gawd_. This was too real, too much! It would only make me remember, and that is something I certainly _do not_ want to do- but I could already feel the memories rushing into my head. They each took turns crushing my heart.

_I just- I can't do this anymore, Rosy. I'm leaving. For good._

**_I could hurt you, Rose, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself. _**

_It's for the best. _

**_I'm no good for you._**

_I can't make you happy anymore if I'm not happy myself._

**_Goodbye, Rose._**

_Goodbye, Rosy._

No, no, no, no, no, no, _no_! Not both. Not at the same time! Darn it! I slammed my hands on the leather steering wheel and sqeezed my eyes shut to stop the already heavy stream of tears. Why did it have to hurt so much? _Because they both ripped your heart to shreds, and left you to put the pieces back together. _A bitter voice in the back of my head remarked.

I needed to get myself together- this Gilbert girl is going to need me, and my protection.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 2: Pancake 1_**

I pulled into the Gilbert's drive way and hopped out of the car, making my way to the front door. I took a calm breath in, then out. I brought my knuckles to the door and plastered a smile onto my face. Game on.

I had made sure that my face portrayed no hint that I had had a breakdown only hours ago on my way here. My clothes were crisp and presentable. A pink polo paired with blue jeans had me looking sweet and trustworthy- or that's how I hoped it looked. I needed to maintain the 'good side' with Jenna so I could protect Elena.

My smile multiplied in size when the woman opened the door.

"Hi! You must be Rosalie! I'm so sorry about your mother!" Jenna threw her arms around me.

This was to be excepted, and even if I had never seen her before in my life, she was compelled to think that her and my 'mom' had been best friends, and that she had passed away. Jenna was also compelled to allow me to stay at her house until I had other permanent arrangements ready. I felt bad for this poor woman to have to be made into a pawn of the Tigren council, but it was necessary for her niece's protection.

"Here, let's get you inside." She turned around and shouted up the stairs, "JEREMY! COME GET HER LUGGAGE OUT OF THE CAR!" Then she turned back to me.

"How are you, honey?" She asked as she sat me down at her kitchen table.

"I'm doing fine, thank-you." I was so freakin' fake with that phony little smile still on my face, and kiss-up attitude, that I wanted to vomit on myself.

A boy, who I'm guessing is Jeremy, trudged down the stairs- presumably on his way to get my things from the car.

His black hair was spiked, and his eyes were as dark as midnight. The hair gave him that image of youth- but I had a feeling he was anything but pure. His boyish looks were off set by the look his black eyes gave; that of pain and having known sadness.

I gave him a weak smile and he nodded in acknowledgment.

When he walked out the door, I could have sworn I had gotten a whiff of... of- drugs? Was this kid a druggie? This might complicate my job a little... except I didn't have to protect this addict, only his sister.

He returned with all of my bags piled into his arms. He dumped them by the stairs, and was about to head up them when Jenna stopped him.

"Jeremy, come meet Rosalie. She will be staying with us until she finds another place to go." He sighed but walked over to me. I smiled at him again and he gave me a tinny tiny one in response. Jenna blinked at this. Was she suprised that he smiled? Hm. I guess he didn't smile a lot... I smiled brighter before loosing pretty much all of my happiness.

_He_ always told me my smile was contagious.

As my grin faded from my face, a confuzed look spread accross Jeremy's face at the sudden change in m y behaviour. But before he could question me, a brunette came down the stairs.

"Hey Jenna can- oh! Hello!" Her doe eyes locked on mine.

"This is Rosalie Tomphson, she needs a place to stay for little while until she gets her own place." _Until my mission is done. _How long would that take? I guess until I'm called off by the council.

"It's nice to meet you, Rosalie. I'm Elena." She smiled warmly at me, and I forced myself to put up a front. I smiled cheerily back and said,

"It's great to meet you, too." Elena was now all the way down the stairs and in the kitchen with us.

"Are you going to be in school with us?" She asked.

"No, I became a legal adult two weeks ago, and I finished school a while ago."

"Oh." My age might be controversial, but I was dubbed eighteen by the council so that I could focus solely on protecting her, instead of some silly school stuff that I had learned hundreds of years ago.

Silence filled the room.

"Elena, why don't you help Rosalie get settled into the guest room upstairs?" Jenna spoke, finally.

"Sure!" She said perkily. Why was I getting the feeling that she was putting up a front, too?

Elena led me to a nicely sized room with cream colored walls and dark furniture.

"This is it." She declared as she gestured to the room with open arms.

"It's great! Thank-you."

"It's no problem. Do you want some help unpacking?"

I was about to say, "No, I'll do it myself." But decided to have some bonding time with my protectee.

"That'd be great!" I said instead. We unloaded my clothing- stopping occasionally when she complemted my closet.

I unpacked my pictures, and on purpose leaving a dew 'undesirables' in the bag, and we placed them on my dresser top.

"Wow. They are both smoking hot." She had gone back to the bag and pulled out the dreaded photos.

"Is he your boyfriend? Or him?" Gesturing to each picture.

One with me at a sitting in a blue-eyed man's lap at the beach, and one with me and a green-eyed man infront of hundreds of flowers in Maine.

"Neither." I said shortly and tried to busy myself buy folding up some shorts and placing them into my dresser. Elena shook her head.

"You can't tell me that you were not- at even one point- dating _either_ of them? With that look in all of your eyes?" Elena's voice was incredulous as she took turns staring at each boy.

"Maybe at one time." I murmered as she finally set it down with my other photos.

* * *

"So you dumped this Matt kid the week after?" I questioned Elena. Unpacking my things had escalated into serious female bonding time consisting of pajamas, chocolate, and stories. She had been telling me about how her parents has passed away and how terrible she had felt about dumping Matt. I had known about her parents death, but I was uninformed about her perspective.

"Yeah. But I just thought, 'how can I make him happy when I'm not happy myself?' Ya know?" Her tone was protrayed that she figured I could relate, but instead flinched as she said this.

"Whats wrong?" Elena questioned my reaction.

"Nothing." I said quickly now concentrating deeply on my bedspread. Elena gave me a look. "That's just almost exactly what one of my boyfriends said to dump me... a while ago." I said glancing up at her, and my hardness dissapated as I told her this, and I stared at my hands that had intertwined themselves.

"Sorry! Here," she broke a hunk of her chocolate bar and handed it to me, "have some chocolate." She was so sure, so serious as she placed it into my hand, that I had to laugh at this. 'Chocolate fixes everything!' Soon enough we were both laughing hysterically over such a simple thing. I hardly knew her, yet I felt a tight bond already solidifying.

* * *

I was now laying in the plush, cream colored bed in the guest room of the Gilbert's home. Elena seemed like a very nice girl, and someone who I could rely on. Even though I probably wouldn't. Maybe before... but not now. You could only rely on one person: Yourself.

Jeremy, on the other hand; I would probably have to get used to. He seemed like some seriously damaged goods.

I mentally slapped myself. We're _all_ damaged goods. Me most likely even more than him.

Then maybe I would end up being good friends with him; we both have a load of troubles.

We'll just have to see, then. Friend or foe?


	3. Chapter 2

I rolled over and faced the window, and was greeted with harsh sunlight streaming through the blinds. Today was going to be Jeremy and Elena's fist day back to school since _it_ happened, and as her protector I'd have to along with her. No Biggy!

I hopped out of bed and dressed in some white leggings, a sweat shirt, and some black sneakers. I reverse-braided my hair up into a bun, and jogged down the stairs.

I found Jenna at the bottom brewing some coffee.

"Good morning, Jenna." I said as I reached the bottom of the stair case.

"Moring Rosalie. Coffee?" She offered me a mug and the pot of coffee.

"Sure. Are they up yet?" I asked, referring to Elena and Jeremy.

"Nope. But they should be soon if they are going to be on-time to school." She stated.

I mm-hhmmed, and she made an epiphany.

"Ohmigosh! I have a meeting in, like," She looked at her watch, "five minutes!" Jenna started to panic.

"I can make them breakfast and stuff. Go on to your meeting, I got this." I told her, leaning my elbows on the island as I sipped my coffee.

"Oh gosh. I mean, I should be here for this, right? I'm their legal guardian! Gawd."

"Go ahead, Jenna. We'll be fine." I assured her.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." I said determined.

"Okay." She sighed. "Thank-you so much." She shouted as she ran out the door.

Soon after, Elena pranced down the stairs.

"Good morning. Coffee?" I asked as she plopped herself down in a stool at the island. She nodded, and I handed her a mug with the bitter sweet liquid in it.

"Thanks." She said as she took the mug.

"No problem. Oh, and Jenna just left. A meeting or something." I updated her. Elena nodded, and Jeremy trudged down the stairs, dressed in all black.

"When do you guys have to be at school?" I asked curiously.

"In..." Elena checked her phone. "LIKE FIVE MINUTES!" I raised my eyebrows, and I heard a horn honk out front.

"Oh! Bonnie's here!" She jogged to wards the door, shoving her mug at Jeremy.

Did Elena eat anything?

I grabbed a protein bar from a cabinent and threw it at her.

"'Lena! Eat it." I told her, an she gave me a look, but to took it anyway.

"You two, Dracula." I handed him a protein bar.

"Naw. I'm good." I frowned but didn't push it. He drank from the mug, and put it on the counter before leaving the house. He probably wouldn't let me in for a while, or at least not like Elena had. I think that she related with me because I supposedly lost both of parents; my mother the more recent. This was all a test for him, though: Friend or foe?

But at the moment, the person I was suppose to protect was driving away from me, the distance and danger increasing by the second.

Game on.

I left Jenna a note, and ran out of the house. I took my car and drove until I was pretty close to the school, and I pulled over. Hopping out of the car, I turned to my rear view mirror, and closed my eyes, concentrating hard. When I opened my eyes again, my reflection was gone, and after inspection of my hands, they were not visible either.

I went up to the school an found Elena. I kept my distance, but I watched her like a hawk.

By the time lunch came around, I had pegged the people who she knew.

Matt: The pinning ex.

Bonnie: The best friend.

Caroline: The ditsy best friend.

Tyler: Stereotypical jock with a humungous ego.

Mr. Tanner: The Jerk teacher.

That's what I have gathered so far. I haven't seen Jeremy yet, but since it's lunch time, I should be seeing him soon.

And there he is! He is talking to a boy with a hood on. Oh? What did he just give him...? Was it? NUH UH. I made my way towards this druggie, careful not to touch any students.

As I have mentioned before, I am the hybrid of my race. Each gender has it's own abilities, but I had both. But each side has it's issues, or at least it did with me. If I came into physical contact with anyone when I was invisible, then they could see me. My Tiger state is screwed up in that instead of the natural orange and black stripes, I had the snow tigers appearance of white and black stripes accompanied with blue eyes. And instead of the amazing ability that males had to be able to compel people; I had none of.

Jeremy had made his way to the boy's bathroom with Elena speed walking to catch up with him.

The hooded boy walked out of the building and out to his car. I was on his heals.

I blew lightly on the back of his neck when he dropped his hood, just for effect.

"You... will... never deal... with Jeremy again..." I said in a hushed tone in his ear.

The high boy spun around to find no one.

"Whose there?" I rolled my eyes.

"THE BOOGEY MAN!" I wanted to shout in his face, but I kept quiet.

"_Never_... deal with Jeremy Gilbert... again..."

"Oh- okay?" He stuttered, unsure.

"Never."

"Okay! I get it..." He shouted at first but he trailed off to wards the end, getting scared.

Good. I walked back to the school, leaving a spooked teenager. I kept tabs on both Elena and Jeremy the rest of the day. Finally by the end, I went back to my car and drove back to the Gilbert House.

"Hi, Jenna!" I said as I opened the door.

"Hey, Rosalie. Where've ya been?" She asked casually.

"I went to check out around town, you know, familiarize myself with it." I lied easily.

"Cool. The kids should be back in a couple of minutes." I like how she referred to them as 'kids', even though I was probably only physically a couple months older then Elena. And compared to the actual-age me, Jenna was an infant.

Just as if on cue, Elena and Jeremy came in. Jeremy straight up to his room, and Elena set her bag down on the floor by the door and said,

"I'm gonna go see mom and dad." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. I hopped up.

"Mind if I come with?" I asked. Elena hesitated.

"Um, Sure." I could tell that she wanted her space when she was at her parents graves, but she also wanted company. Once we were there, she sat and opened her journal: a silent sign that she was in her own little world.

I sat against a grave a little father away. Everything was peaceful until fog started to roll in. I jumped up.

My Rosy Senses were flaring. I could tell that Elena was creeped out about the fog, too, and she jumped as a crow cawed.

A crow.

I taught _him_ to manipulate both fog and birds. Coincidence? I DON'T THINK SO! I was in front of Elena in an instant, we had to get out of here.

"Why don't we go?" I asked and she gave me a wide eyed nod. The fog was really thick now, and I could feel my pupils elongating.

"Follow me like a shadow." I instructed her, and she complied, completely oblivious to my eyes.

I saw a figure ahead and stopped. Unfortunately, Elena didn't. She slammed into me, nearly knocking me over, and fell backward herself.

I whipped my head around, and she was on the floor. A puzzled look crossed her face as she examined her leg. Most likely searching for the scratch that should appear on her leg where a twig scraped her skin. But she wouldn't find one. I'd have one. I had connected myself to her as her protecter; an irreversible bond that gives me her injuries instead of her. I felt the slight sting and prayed that it wouldn't bleed through my leggins.

Oh! Who am I kidding! I could practically already see the red showing on my calf through my _thin, white, leggins_. I'm screwed.

"Rose?" Hell. No. I spun around to see a painfully familiar face. I had been momentarily distracted, failed to remember the dark figure.

"Stefan?"

_I could hurt you, Rose, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself. __I'm no good for you._

_Goodbye, Rose._


End file.
